FC Barcelona want to sign an attacking midfielder, but that’s unlikely to be Liverpool’s Coutinho. We’ve got 4 Premier League alternatives for them, incorporating players from West Ham, Arsenal, Everton and Leicester City.
According to Catalan Radio, the Blaugrana are determined to sign an attacking midfielder in January in order to strengthen their squad for a push at the Champions League.
Coutinho’s price and Liverpool’s place in the knockout rounds of the Champions League would seem to rule him out. And given that Christian Eriksen (an even better fit for Barça than the Brazilian) would is in a similar situation with Spurs, Barcelona need to look elsewhere.
But they needn’t leave the Premier League to do so. Here are 4 alternatives based in England that could improve Barcelona’s squad:
Manuel Lanzini
West Ham United; 24 years-old
The Argentine is a quality creative force who, whilst traditionally a no. 10, plays excellently on the left for West Ham. On paper he fits perfectly into the role Andrés Iniesta is currently playing. Lanzini would bring pace, penetration and a dynamic threat to Barcelona. Moreover he’s already friends with compatriot Leo Messi, and his shirt was unexpectedly featured in Messi’s wall of fame. Given West Ham’s position in the Premier League, Lanzini may leap at the chance to play for the Blaugrana. He would also be relatively inexpensive.
Ross Barkley
Everton; 23 years-old
Ross Barkley looks finished, doesn’t he? But that’s absurd. He’s 23! How can he already be playing with the jaded weariness of a 37 year-old? What is going on at Everton? Obviously on current form Barkley should be nowhere near Barcelona’s team, but not for a lack of quality. He’s an exceptional footballer, a great combination of athleticism, skill and vision.
All Barkley needs is something to spark him to life; and what better than a move to a new environment? Plus the motivation of playing alongside some of the planet’s finest ever players, as well as direct access to Andrés Iniesta every day in training? In a technical side that will nurture his gifts, Barkley could be brilliant. And Everton might get a decent pay out too.
Riyad Mahrez
Leicester City; 26 years-old
Mahrez should have left Leicester City the summer they won the Premier League title. Loyalty is impressive, but Mahrez was always going to be the kind of mercurial genius that would falter without another challenge. A move to Barcelona would be just that. He’s an orthodox winger and, as a leftie, would play the position very differently to Liverpool’s Coutinho as well as the others on this list, but different is good. Luis Suárez in particular would benefit from the Leicester player’s wicked wing-play.
Mesut Özil
Arsenal; 29 years-old
The Stat Man himself. Mesut Özil is a Barcelona fan, or he was anyway, and stylistically his preference for technical and positional football above all else is very Barcelona. He looks all washed up, but how much of that is because’s been turned into a meme and had the life beaten out of him by Arsenal’s crippling mediocrity? Since the start of last season he has: completed 1,161 final third passes (2nd in the Premier League for that time), created 130 chances (3rd), 15 of which classify as big chances (joint 4th). He’s still got it.
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